ST. LUKE’S EASTER MEETING.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 253, 3 April 1875, Page 2

ST. LUKE’S EASTER MEETING.

The annual Easter meeting of the parishioners of the parish of St Luke the Evangelist, was held last evening in the schoolroom. The Incumbent, the Rev B. A. Lingard occupied the chair, and opened the proceedings with prayer. The chairman in a few brief opening remarks congratulated the parish upon the progress that had been made, and paid a tribute to the valuable aid which had been rendered by the Curate, the Rev 0. Merton. After reviewing the events of the year, the chairmanfread the following report:— “ In presenting the statement of receipts and expenditure for the past year, the churchwardens desire to draw attention to the satisfactory state of the finances as disclosed by the accounts. It wiT be remembered that the gross deficiency at the commencement of the year, upon all the accounts, was £ll6 15s 9d. This debt has been reduced to £lO2 7s sd; or, deducting the amounts owing for seat rent and promised donations, to £B7 5s 5d ; notwithstanding the large extra demands which have been made upon the parish through the appointment of an assistant curate, the increased salaries paid to the organist and the verger, and the expense incurred in laying on gas and providing fittings for the church and parsonage, a result which the most sanguine could hardly have anticipated. A reference to the statement of accounts will show that the above deficit is divided as follows:—Stipend fund, £25 Is lid; general expense, £43 3s sd; church enlargement, £34 2s Id. It will be observed that there is owing for seat Jrents outstanding and donations promised, £ls 2s, which reduces the deficiency on the stipend fund to £9 19s lid. Xt is satisfactory to note that the gross re-

ceipts of the parish amount to £1386 10s2d, as against £1263 2s 3d for the previous year; while the offertories are £612 13s 7d, or an increase of £54 19s 3d on the receipts under hit head for the previous year. The vestry regret that the state of the church music is not so satisfactory as could be desired. Several changes in respect to the organist and choirmaster have been made during the year, and by the January mail an organist and choirmaster was sent for to England, a step which it is confidently hoped will be productive of the best results. The salary offered is £IOO. Through the exertions of Mr A. F. N. Blakiston and Mrs Nottidge, a fum of £ls has been raised as the nucleus of a fund for procuring a bell for the church tower. Owing to the great difficulty which has been experienced in collecting seat rents, the vestry lately passed the following resolution—* That on and after Easter 1875 the rents of seats may be paid annually, half-yearly, or quarterly, to suit the convenience of seat-holders; but in all cases payment must be made in advance, at the vestry room, at such times as shall be notified by the incumbent at the request of the churchwardens. Any seat not then renewed, the card wdl be removed and the seat allocatedlf this or some similar method is not adopted, the same difficulty will continue to exist in getting in the seat rents, and the work of the church officers, otherwise sufficiently onerous, will be greater than they can fairly be expected to perform. The thanks of the parishioners are due to Mr Henderson for his kindness in auditing the the accounts free of charge.—W; Meddings, Geo. Mclntyre, Churchwardens. Easter, 1875.” On the motion of Mr Gresson, seconded by Mr G. Gordon, the report and accounts were received and adopted. Mr G. Gordon moved— •* That the recommendations'of the churchwardens and vestry with regard to the pew-rents, be rec«mmended to the incoming vestry.” Mr A. Lean seconded the motion, which was adopted unanimously. Mr Gresson moved—“ That it is inexpedient to alter the present boundaries of the parish,” Mr G. Gordon seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Mr G. Gordon moved—‘‘That it be an instruction to the incoming vestry to take steps for raising funds for the erection of a building for divine worship on the reserve on the Caledonian road.” Mr A. F. N. Blakiston seconded the motion, which was agreed to unanimously. The election of officers for the ensuing year was proceeded with. Churchwardens— Mr A. F. N. Blakiston (minister's), Mr J. G. Meddings (parishioners’). Vestrymen— Mcfsis E. Strange, T. Douglas, McKeig, Lake,T. Gordon, Green, 0. R. Blakiston, and P. Pavitt. School committee—Messrs. E. Strange, Douglas, McKeig, T. Gordon, and P. Pavitt. On the motion of Mr Gresson, seconded by Mr G. Gordon, a unanimous vote of thanks to the retiring churchwardens and vestry was agreed to. A vote of thanks to the choir having been passed unanimously, The chairman said that he felt he was expressing only the views of the parishioners in stating the very great regret they felt in the departure of Mr Gresson and his family, who were about to leave the parish in July*. Their work had been most unostentatious, yet very valuable, and he could only express his deep sorrow and regret at the prospect of their leaving. Mr G. Gordon said he felt that the incumbent had only expressed the sentiments of ihe whole parish. The absence of Mr Gresson and his family would, he felt, leave a blank it would be almost impossible to fill. [Applause,] Mr Gresson said that he felt he had only done his duty, and he was satisfied that his family felt the same. He begged to thank them very sincerely for himself and his family for their kind expressions. They regretted leaving the parish, not only on account of the friends they had in it, but also in leaving the ministrations at St Luke’s Church, Votes of thanks to the Incumbent and the Curate terminated the proceedings;